Can Australia Sweep Commonwealth Vault?

[pelle3]

Stars vault ahead
Damian Barrett
06feb06
Source

AUSTRALIANS taking out the trifecta of a Commonwealth Games event may occur regularly in the pool and only rarely in track and field.

But the 2006 male pole vaulters are well placed to go one-two-three in Melbourne.

In a high-quality contest at Sydney Olympic Stadium yesterday, Australia's established stars in the event -- Paul Burgess and Dmitri Markov -- and the emerging Victorian Steve Hooker each registered A-qualifying heights.

Burgess won with 5.80m from Hooker (5.75) and 2001 world champion Markov (5.70).

The other Australian star, Viktor Chistiakov, scratched from the event, his attempted comeback aborted.

"That's probably the best comp I've ever competed in in Australia. It's the first time all three of us have been over 5.70m in the one comp," Burgess said yesterday.

"It was a really good duel with the three of us and it pushed us all. I wanted to jump 5.80m regardless of what the other guys did, that's what I try to do every comp.

"It was good out there today, and I felt my heart racing. It was a nationals, after all."

Burgess, runner-up in the past two Games, was pleased recent problems at a meeting in Canberra, where he failed to register a height, had been eradicated.

"It wasn't as if I was out of form, but I didn't want to be no-heighting again," Burgess said.

[rainbowgirl28]

What other countries with good pole vaulters will compete at the Commonwealth Games?

[pelle3]

Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Results Record

1 AUS HOOKER Steve 5.80 GR (5.60/5.70/5.80 0; 6.01 XXX)
2 AUS MARKOV Dmitri 5.60
3 ENG LEWIS Steven 5.50
4 ENG BUCKFIELD 5.35
5 LCA JOHNSON Dominic 5.35
6 WAL SIMPSON Scott 5.20
-- AUS BURGESS Paul NM

The answer to the question is NO.

[pelle3]

Australian Hooker wins pole vault gold

March 24, 2006 - 8:17PM
Source

Australian Steve Hooker has claimed the gold medal in the pole vault competition at the Commonwealth Games.

Fellow Australian Dmitri Markov won the silver medal, with England's Steven Lewis winning bronze.

Hooker sealed the competition with a clearance of 5.70 metres, surpassing Markov's best vault of 5.60m and Lewis' best of 5.50m.

After securing the gold, Hooker then cleared 5.80m - a new Commonwealth Games record, eclipsing the previous mark of South African Okkert Brits of 5.75m set in Manchester four years ago.

Hooker's mother, Erica, was a 1972 Olympian and a 1978 Commonwealth Games long jump silver medallist.

His father, Bill, represented Australia in the 800m and 4x400m relay at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

[pelle3]

Lewis clinches pole vault bronze
Source

Steven Lewis claimed a surprise Commonwealth Games medal for England with bronze in the men's pole vault.

Lewis, 19, equalled his personal best with 5.50m to finish behind Australia's Steve Hooker and Dmitri Markov, while England's Nick Buckfield was fourth...

(Story Condensed)...

But the day belonged to Lewis, who was delighted with his pole vault medal.

"I'm over the moon, I can't put it into words," Lewis said. "I came here to jump a personal best but Paul Burgess having a bad day (the Australian recorded no height) helped me get the bronze.

"Coming here everyone was thinking about an Australia 1-2-3. I thought I could get fourth and push for a medal but achieving it is another thing."